Marked With Love
by HopeIsHere16
Summary: As a reward for saving the school from Voldemort, Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel decide to use the Sorcerer's Stone to bring two very important people back into Harry Potter's life. Begins towards the end of the first book.
1. Prologue: A Sympathetic Agreement

Marked With Love

Disclaimer: I, obviously, am simply a fan. I write for the enjoyment of myself and other Harry Potter fans. I don't own Harry Potter, or any characters you recognize. I am simply utilizing the tools that JK Rowling provided the world.

Author's Note: From now on, my author's notes will be at the bottoms of chapters, but I wanted to begin this story with a big THANK YOU FOR READING! I haven't written for the wonderful world of Harry Potter in quite some time, so it is truly exciting for me to be back. I was actually just having a marathon of the movies with my family today, and that's what inspired me to write this. We were watching _Sorcerer's Stone_, and at the end - when Harry is in the Hospital Wing - I thought...shouldn't they be _rewarding_ him somehow? I mean, the boy _did _just save the school from Voldemort! So that's where this came in. Now, I have written & read almost every story on this site that features the return of one or both of Harry's parents, and I would just like to let you know in advance that I hope to make this different. I hope to make this _unique_. It's not going to be anything unbelievable that brought them back, and I _promise_ I'll try to avoid cheesy storylines. I enjoy a nice, well-written, _believable_ story as much as the next fan, so I hope to make my readers happy :) Now, this universe will be a mix of both the books and the movies. I think that's everything! There will be one or two small things that aren't cannon, and for that I apologize, but the story wouldn't work without them :) Reviews are more than appreciated, and reviewer responses will be after my author's notes. I'm always looking for ways to improve, so please feel free to comment! And with that out of the way, ladies and gentlemen, I give you...the prologue!

PS: This takes place towards the end of Chapter 17 in the first book.

* * *

**Prologue - A Sympathetic Agreement**

_"...You know, the Stone was not really such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all - the trouble is, humans do have a knack for choosing precisely those things that are worst for them." _

_Harry lay there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling._

Harry prepared himself to bombard his Headmaster with questions, for he had many of them, but he never got the chance. Dumbledore chose that moment to meet Harry's eyes again, and a small smile lit up his face. He did not look like a withering, elderly wizard any longer - he looked like a happy child who was about to give his parents a fantastic gift. Harry's attention never drifted while Dumbledore spoke.

"You did a very brave thing, dear boy." he said. "A very brave thing, indeed. Were it not for you, we can only guess the travesties that would have befallen our school had Voldemort gotten the Stone..." Dumbledore trailed off, shaking his head at the thoughts that seemed to plague his mind. He shook such sadness and fear from his mind almost immediately, keeping his tone light. "But thankfully, he did not. You know, before we set off to destroy the Stone, I had a conversation with my dear friend Nicolas."

Harry nodded, and wrinkled his brow in confusion. "Yes, sir, you said that."

Dumbledore seemed not to hear Harry, and continued his speech with mirth twinkling in his gaze. "I told him all about you of course, Harry. I told him of your courage and of your sacrifice. He admires you very much, indeed. He even said to me that, time permitting, he would like to meet you before...well, before he has to leave."

Harry's heart swelled, and he felt very proud of himself. "That's very kind of him, sir."

"But," said Dumbledore. "He does not have long left, you see, and he wanted to make his appreciation known to you. He asked me to give you this - " Dumbledore removed from his robes a letter, which was addressed to Harry. Harry took it with eagerness, and was beginning to tear at it when his Headmaster said, "- to be opened later." Harry looked up a little guiltily, and put the letter next to him on his bed. Dumbledore gave him an eye-crinkling grin.

"Will you tell him thank-you for me?" asked Harry.

"Of course, my boy." replied Dumbledore. "However, you'll find that a simple letter is not all that you will be rewarded with for your incredibly generous services to this school."

_That's one way of putting it, I suppose,_ thought Harry coolly. "But what else would he want to give me, sir?"

"The Sorcerer's Stone is a very interesting piece of magic..." mused Dumbledore cryptically, his eyes trailing to something in the distance. "It, as you surely know, can transform any metal into pure gold. Do you know what else it can do, Harry?"

"It creates the Elixir of Life, sir." said Harry, feeling rather like he was in class. What did this have to do with anything? Did Flamel want to give Harry immortality?

"Ah, precisely!" said Dumbledore excitedly. "Precisely! And that Elixir of Life has extraordinary powers. Powers you could not possibly believe. You see, Harry, the Stone can do more than just grant its owners immortality. It can also grant life - that was the original definition of immortality in the first place, you know. Granting life..."

"Excuse me, sir," interrupted Harry. "But what does this have to do with me?"

"It doesn't really, I suppose," amended Dumbledore. "It has far more to do with your parents."

This took Harry aback. His eyes widened considerably, and his heart began to beat faster and faster. He tried to sound steady when he said, "My _parents_, Professor?"

"Yes, Harry," smiled Dumbledore. "Your parents."

Just then, the door of the hospital wing was opened by Madame Pomfrey, the loveably strict nurse. Her eyes looked somewhat glossy as she gazed at Harry. Then, two silhouettes began to move from the shadows of the open doorway. Harry focused on them, trying to see their faces. They moved forward slowly, almost lethargically, and it wasn't until Harry matched them with the reflections he'd seen in the Mirror of Erised that he knew who they were.

* * *

Author's Note: I feel that that should do for a Prologue ;) I hope you all liked it, and leave me your thoughts in a review! It would mean so much to me to hear from you :) Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 1: Midnight Memories

**Chapter One - Midnight Memories**

_Then, two silhouettes began to move from the shadows of the open doorway. Harry focused on them, trying to see their faces. They moved forward slowly, almost lethargically, and it wasn't until Harry matched them with the reflections he'd seen in the Mirror of Erised that he knew who they were._

Harry stared at his parents without blinking, afraid that if he closed his eyes they would vanish. But they did not - each time his eyelids flickered shut and re-opened, they remained standing in the doorway with shocked, yet loving, expressions. Dumbledore could see that he was certainly invading a very private moment, and after speaking to Harry's parents, he and Madame Pomfrey took their leave. Lily and James took a few steps forward, and Harry nodded very slightly. Lily must have noticed the small gesture, for she broke away from James and ran forward at an alarmingly fast pace.

She was absolutely beautiful - that's all Harry could think. She looked like him a little bit; she had his emerald green eyes, and the same small nose. Her hair was long and red, and she smelled like a garden. Harry could obviously tell that he got most of his looks from his father, who was still standing a bit away from him. He was tall, very tall, and had the same mop of untidy black hair on his head. His glasses were round, just like Harry's, and wire-rimmed. His parents were perfect.

"I'm sorry," his mother apologized quickly, dotting at her eyes with a handkerchief. She must have been crying. "But may I - may I hug you, sweetheart?"

Harry could hardly believe it - his mother, his very own mother - was asking for permission to hug him? Harry's head bobbed up and down quickly, and Lily breathed a sigh of relief. She closed the distance between herself and her son, and then before either of them knew it, they were crying in each others' arms. Lily crawled next to Harry on his bed, and wrapped her arms around his small frame. Harry had never been held like that before, and he decided that he never wanted to go without feeling it again. It was then that his father, James, decided to come into the scene as well. He walked slowly to the other side of Harry's bed, and looked at him for a moment.

"Dad?" asked Harry uncertainly, wanting to hear his father answer him. James nodded.

"Yes, son." he replied, mimicking Lily's actions and taking his boy into his arms. For a moment, just a moment, the little family held each other and basked in the knowledge that they were together. They knew that the road ahead was going to be difficult; but they decided to worry about life later. For the moment they were able to stay with each other in comfort, and they would keep that memory with them for the rest of their lives.

* * *

It was quite a long time before any kind of conversation was managed. Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey did not return the rest of the night, leaving the Potters completely alone. For several hours they laid in the bed, crying and muttering incoherent words that the other two would pretend to understand. Eventually, though, the tears ceased to flow and the dark room was quiet. James thoughtlessly waved a hand in the direction of the nearest lamp, and it flickered to life with a popping sound.

Lily pressed a kiss to her son's forehead, and then said, "Darling? Are you awake?"

"Yes," said Harry quietly, afraid of shattering the moment. He had messed up so much in his life, and this was one thing that he wanted to keep pure and happy.

"Do you...want to talk?" his mother asked hesitantly, seemingly as nervous as her son. Through it all, James remained quiet.

"I don't know," admitted Harry a bit sheepishly, his cheeks reddening. He hoped his parents wouldn't notice.

"It's alright if you don't," assured Lily, the sound of her voice lulling Harry into a dream-like state. "Just know that you are loved, Harry...so, so loved...we love you, darling, so much..."

Harry wanted to say something, but he didn't know if he could find the words. He _did _want to talk to his parents; in fact, he never wanted to _stop_ talking with them. He wanted to hear their voices every moment for the rest of his life. But how - _where_ - could he even begin? He had never had adults in his life who wanted to willingly speak with him just to get to know him - how was he meant to behave? What was expected of him?

"How was it growing up?" asked James, seemingly trying to spark a conversation. Lily nodded enthusiastically, appreciative that her husband was putting in the effort to get Harry to open up with them.

Harry felt a tad bit uncomfortable - it would be difficult to talk about the Durlseys.

"It - it was alright," stammered Harry, looking away from his parents. "I mean, it wasn't _awful_. I had a room and everything, and food. If they told me I wasn't getting meals or something I would just sneak out after they'd gone to bed and take snacks from the pantry. They never noticed - they always thought Dudley was sneaking sweets, and they wouldn't want to _embarrass_ him by...bringing...it...up."

Harry felt his swollen eyes begin to droop; he knew it wouldn't be long before sleep took him over. He fought to stay awake, he really did, but he knew it was a losing battle.

"Dudley?" asked Lily uncertainly. "You mean...do you mean Dudley, your _cousin_?"

"You grew up with the _Dursleys_?" gasped James in horror, his tone one of disgust.

"Yes," yawned Harry, settling in beside his mother. He curled to her side, basking in her warmth.

"But...what about Sirius?" asked Lily fragiley, quirking an eyebrow. Harry was still awake enough to feel confusion.

"Who's that?" he questioned. He was sure he heard his parents gasp again before exhaustion swallowed him, and he fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

When Harry woke up the next afternoon, it was with a smile on his face. He'd had the most wonderful dream - Dumbledore had brought his parents back to life using the Sorcerer's Stone, and they'd stayed up half the night talking with him. He could still smell his mother's beautiful flowery fragrance, and he could feel his father's strong hand stroking his hair back.

Even though he knew it had all been a dream, he still crossed his fingers when he opened his eyes. He'd half-expected to see James and Lily sitting there watching him, but they were gone. Harry tried not to let his heart break too much, but it was hard; for a moment, he'd let himself believe that he was just like everyone else. That he had loving parents who would take him away from his awful relatives to live with them in the country somewhere. That he could get a dog and his own bedroom and a television; that _they_ would be the ones to wake up and make breakfast in the morning.

As Harry rolled over onto his side to find a more comfortable position, he felt something crunch beneath his weight. Confused, he reached beneath his sheets and pulled out an envelope. Written in elegant script were the words: _To Harry Potter - The Brave And Extraordinary Boy Who Lived. _And at the bottom were the words: _From - NF. _

Nicolas Flamel...?

"I have thanked you on bended knee for this opportunity, Headmaster, but you are _finished _meddling, do you understand me? I want a meeting with Fudge first thing this evening to sort this all out, and _then_ we'll be giving Sirius a proper trial. I still can't believe _you_ of all people wouldn't defend that man! Even though we _didn't_ tell you about the switch, you _knew_ Sirius! You _knew _him! And in the mean time, I want Remus contacted and brought to the school _immediately_. Am I understood?"

Harry could hear the voice outside of his door because it was incredibly loud. It was angry, too, and whoever it was was speaking to Dumbledore. It was strange to hear someone sound so rude when they spoke to Dumbledore, but Harry decided that it would be best not to get involved.

"Please, try to understand -" Harry could hear Dumbledore pleading. "- I was only doing what I felt was best for your family."

"Noted." the first voice said. "Now if you'll be so kind as to _excuse_ me, I'm going to spend some long over-due time with _my_ son."

Harry felt puzzled for only a moment before the door to the hospital wing opened and his father - in all his glory - strolled in casually. Harry's eyes widened; it _hadn't_ been a fantastical dream?

"Ah, Harry," James smiled, sitting in the cushioned chair next to Harry's bed. He didn't seem to be in a bad mood at all; how had he just been so heated when he'd spoken with the Headmaster? "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," chuckled Harry, trying to seem as at ease as his father.

"Your mum will be back soon," said James, crossing his legs as he relaxed. "She stepped out for a bit to...visit some old friends of hers."

"And you didn't want to go with her?" asked Harry, trying to keep the fluidity of the conversation going. It was so very easy to talk to his father; it was surprising.

"I went for a tick," said James dismissively, making the topic seem entirely unimportant. "She and I...well, I suppose you could say we ran in different circles during school, so she had different friends. Friends who...didn't really care for me."

"Oh." he replied. Harry couldn't help but feel surprised; when he used to picture his parents, he'd always thought of them as being inseparable friends from birth. They had always seemed the epitome of love to Harry. "Well, er, who were you friends with in school?"

"I had three friends." said James in a cold, clipped tone. Harry didn't like the sound of it, but let his father continue. "Two friends, actually, if you count out that _traitor_. Of those two remaining friends, one is unemployed and homeless, and the other is in prison on false charges." James's face darkened considerably.

Harry's eyes widened, and he didn't know what to say. That explained the reason his father had been so upset with Dumbledore, then; Harry imagined that if he'd...well, if he'd come back from the dead after ten years to find Ron and Hermione miserable, he'd been angry, too.

Seeing that he'd made his son uncomfortable, James back-tracked immediately. "I'm sorry, son, it isn't your fault." he said softly. "I'm just upset, is all. I let my anger get the better of me a lot of the time, you see." James chuckled nervously, and sighed; he didn't want his son to dislike him.

"No, I understand," said Harry in a tone filled with empathy. "If anything like that ever happened to my friends, I'd feel the same way."

"What are your friends like, Harry?" asked James lightly, trying to make things happier. "I'd always thought...well, when you were a baby, I used to wonder what things would be like for you when you got to Hogwarts. I just always imagined that I would have a hand in your upbringing so I could know without having to ask."

"Their names are Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger." began Harry enthusiastically. He was so excited to get to tell someone about his friends. They were the first real friends he'd ever had, after all.

"Weasley?" asked James, smiling. "Molly and Arthur's boy, then?"

"One of many." chuckled Harry, remembering the long list of siblings Ron had. "And Hermione's parents are Muggles."

For half the hour, James and Harry sat together and just talked. Harry told his father all about Quidditch, which - as it turned out - was James's favorite sport, too. He insisted that Harry give him details regarding every single match of the year, and he grinned widely when Harry told him about their triumphs.

Lily laughed merrily when she returned to find her two favorite boys discussing sports statistics.

"Hello, mum!" greeted Harry happily, smiling brightly when his mother took the second chair beside him. He drank in the sight of both of his parents hungrily; he would never get tired of seeing them. "Dad and I were just talking about Quidditch!"

"Yes, Harry made the House team his _first_ year, Lily!" said James excitedly, sounding exactly like a teenager again.

"That's fantastic, sweetheart!" approved Lily.

"Did you get to see your friends, mum?" asked Harry innocently, looking to his mother expectantly.

"Yes, how _is_ old Snivellus?" snorted James, rolling his eyes. Harry wondered idly who his father was talking about.

"_Severus_ is just fine, thank you for asking." replied Lily, irritated. "Surprised to see me, to say the least. But, James...I _had_ to thank him for all he's done for us. You can't tell me you don't feel the least bit grateful after what Dumbledore told us?"

"On the contrary," said James, "I'm a bit...put out with the Headmaster, at the moment."

"Severus?" asked Harry suddenly. "As in Severus _Snape_? The Potions Master?"

"Yes, dear, why?" questioned Lily innocently.

"You were..._friends_ with him?" It was quite easy to hear the tone of shock in Harry's voice. It was apparently plain on his face as well, because James busted out laughing.

"I don't think our boy cares too much for that old, greasy _git_, Lils!" he laughed. Lily looked horribly angry.

"_James_ - "

"I-It's not that I don't _like _him, mum." said Harry, trying not to make his mother unhappy. It was true, Professor Snape was probably his least favorite person at Hogwarts, but if his mother liked him then...maybe he could learn how to, too? "It's just...I don't think he likes _me_ very much."

"Has he been cruel to you, Harry?" asked James, before Lily could even say a word. "I swear, if he's done _anything_ to you, I'll find him and I'll - "

Before Harry could say another word, the door swung open and Snape walked in. He snorted at the sight of Harry with his parents, and glared at James with a look of hatred. James reciprocated the look, and Harry feared the two would start dueling if someone didn't step in.

_"Potter."_ Snape growled.

"_Snape."_ James shot back.

"Severus," said Lily sweetly, casually stepping between the two men. Neither seemed to notice that her purpose in doing so was to keep them away from each other. "Is there something we can help you with?"

After only a moment of hesitation, Snape snapped his eyes away from James. His entire body seemed to soften and relax at the sight of Lily, and Harry couldn't help but grow even more confused. It was strange to see Snape so calm, and the fact that Harry's _mother_ had been the one to induce that calmness was almost...unsettling.

"The Headmaster wished for me to come and find you." said Snape through clenched teeth. "_Lupin_," he hissed the name angrily, "has been told to come to the Castle, and is on his way."

"Thank-you." chirped Lily. Snape nodded curtly before turning on his heels and storming out of the room, his black cloak billowing behind him.

"Who's Lupin?" asked Harry curiously, trying to break the silence that had befallen the room. The tension was thick, he could tell, and he didn't want anything to be hard on his parents.

"One of your father's friends," explained Lily in a very maternal tone, returning to Harry's side and placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"Better," Harry assured Lily. "I can't wait to go-" but Harry stopped suddenly, realizing the word he'd been about to use. _Home_. For the past year, Harry had come to think of Hogwarts as his home. He'd been dreading terribly going back to Privet Drive with Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley. For the first time, he seemed to grasp that there wouldn't _be_ another day that he would have to spend with his awful relatives. His parents, as he'd always dreamed they would, had come to take him away from all of that. He would be _living_ with them, permanently, and he would get to spend his time outside of Hogwarts still vastly involved in the wizarding world.

Harry grinned brilliantly, his eyes flicking back and forth between both of his parents. They smiled at him in return, and he suddenly wondered what their home would be like. Would they live somewhere in the country, where you could see the sky and count the stars at night? Would they live in a bustling city, surrounded by other witches and wizards? Would they perhaps stay near the school, in a village of some sort? The possibilities were endless, and he never wanted to stop counting them.

* * *

Author's Note: A bit short, but this really was mostly an introductory chapter. It was difficult to write, mainly due to the fact that Lily, James, and Harry still barely know each other. Once this story kicks into gear, things will become much more active and interesting. It is my earnest wish to turn this story into a complete re-write of the series. How would everything have gone with the addition of Lily and James? I'm certainly excited to find out! Updates will not always happen so quickly, but I was so excited with the response that I couldn't stop writing! Speaking of the response, you guys are fantastic! So many follows/favorites really made my night. If you are reading, please comment! I'd love to hear what you're thinking :) Now, then -

_Daughter of the Full Moon:_ Haha! I'm glad you're excited! :D Thank you for taking the time to review, I really appreciate it! Hope to hear from you again :)

_Paddy Gurl:_ Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you very much for reviewing, and I really _really_ appreciate it that you added me to your community! :D Hope to hear from you again!

_minea: _Thank you, I'm glad you liked it! I plan to continue this into a _very _long chapter story, so I hope you stick around :)

_A. S.-sama: _I can't wait to _write_ more! Thank you for the review, I really appreciate it! Hope you liked the chapter, and hope to hear from you again :D

Back To Author's Note: Okay, so that's it! Chapters after this will become much, much longer, I promise :P Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 2: A State Of Disbelief

**Chapter Two - A State Of Disbelief**

_Harry grinned brilliantly, his eyes flicking back and forth between both of his parents. They smiled at him in return, and he suddenly wondered what their home would be like. Would they live somewhere in the country, where you could see the sky and count the stars at night? Would they live in a bustling city, surrounded by other witches and wizards? Would they perhaps stay near the school, in a village of some sort? The possibilities were endless, and he never wanted to stop counting them._

When the sun began to set, Harry was forced to say goodbye to his parents. They had a meeting with the Minister for Magic an hour later, and wanted to spend the time beforehand visiting with their friend, Lupin. Harry begged Madame Pomfrey to let him go with them, but she simply wouldn't allow it. She claimed that he was not yet well enough to leave the hospital wing. The nurse could see the heartbreak on the boy's face when she said this, so she decided to consent on a different matter.

"Half an hour, and that's it." she warned as she opened the door. "You need your rest, Potter."

A brilliant grin lit up Harry's face as Ron and Hermione dashed madly into the room. Hermione's hair was wind-blown and even wilder than it normally was, and Ron's face was red. They looked positively elated to see him.

"Harry!" cried Hermione, running to Harry's bed and hugging him from the side. The gesture surprised Harry, and he awkwardly patted Hermione on the back. The young witch pulled away, blushing, and mumbled, "It's so good to see you! We were so worried, Madame Pomfrey told us you weren't well and -"

"And we missed you at the Feast, mate!" chimed in Ron, rushing to Harry's other side. "You wouldn't have believed it! Professor Dumbledore gave us all points -"

"- all four of us! Ron, myself, you, and even Neville!"

"It pushed us above Slytherin and - "

"WE WON THE HOUSE CUP!"

Harry laughed cheerfully at how excited Ron and Hermione were becoming. At the announcement that Gryffendor had won the House Cup, Harry felt butterflies well up in his stomach. He began to smile so much that it hurt his face, and he felt a strange sense of euphoria well inside him. More than euphoria, he supposed; he felt _pride_.

"That's fantastic!" he said happily, sitting up higher in his bed. He patted the empty spaces at the bottom of the mattress, and motioned for Ron and Hermione to sit with him. They did so quickly, Hermione smoothing the pleats of her skirt as she situated herself. The three friends chatted on excitedly for quite some time about the Feast, and about the look on Malfoy's face when he'd seen that Gryffendor had won. The mere thought sent Harry into torrents of laughs, and he enjoyed the time with his friends more than anything else. When the half hour they were permitted was nearly half over, the topic of conversation switched to something far more serious.

"They destroyed the Stone?" asked Ron gravely, raising his brow. "But won't Flamel and his wife...you know, _die_?"

"Of course they will," replied Hermione. "They may have some elixir stored, but I doubt it'll be enough to sustain them _forever_."

"That's exactly what Dumbledore told me," said Harry. He gulped deeply, knowing that he would have to tell Ron and Hermione about the _other _things Dumbledore had told him. He feared they would think him crazy, and laugh in his face. He would be able to prove it to them eventually, of course, but he was frightened of what their reactions would be. "Actually," he continued nervously. "Dumbledore told me something else, too."

"What is it, Harry?" asked Hermione, concerned. She could tell how nervous her friend was, but couldn't possibly find a reason for his strange behavior. "Whatever it is, you can tell us."

"Yeah, mate." agreed Ron whole-heartedly. "We've got your back."

"Dumbledore and Flamel spoke before they destroyed the Stone." began Harry shakily. "And they thought that I should receive some kind of..._reward_, I suppose, for defeating Voldemort and Professor Quirrel."

"What _kind _of reward?" asked Hermione with glee, her face glowing.

"They used the power of the Elixir of Life to bring my parents back." There - spoken quickly.

Ron and Hermione were silent from the bottom of his bed. They stared at him with a mix of shock and sadness. He knew before they said anything that they did not believe him whatsoever.

"Mate," said Ron in a downtrodden tone, "Are you sure you weren't...dreaming?"

"Yes!" exclaimed Hermione, seemingly relieved to have some kind of reasonable explanation to hold onto. "You've been ill, so perhaps you briefly succumbed to delirium while you were -"

"I'm not mad!" shouted Harry a bit angrily. Ron and Hermione were his best friends - why couldn't they just believe him? "And I wasn't dreaming! I'm telling the truth, Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel brought my parents back to life!"

"But Harry," said Hermione. "Your parents - "

"Died, I know!" interrupted Harry. "But now they're _not_ dead! They're back, I spoke with them all day!"

"Harry - " started Ron. But without warning, the door opened once more, and Madame Pomfrey bustled in.

"Time's up," she said sternly, her warm eyes flickering back and forth between Ron and Hermione. "That means _out_."

Ron and Hermione got up lethargically, gazing at Harry sadly the entire walk out. Harry recognized the look in their eyes - it was pity.

"Enjoy yourself, Potter?" asked Madame Pomfrey quickly, after Ron and Hermione were gone. Harry sighed.

"Yes, Madame Pomfrey." he muttered sullenly. He yearned for his parents to return to him, and to return to him _soon_.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the office of Professor Dumbledore, James and Lily Potter were shaking nervously in their seats. They, not unlike their son, feared what a dear friend of theirs was going to think of them when he saw them. It had been so very long since Remus Lupin had been in the presence, and they were afraid they were going to lose him.

"It won't be long now," said Lily, rubbing James's knee in comfort. Her husband was far more nervous about this meeting with Remus than she was. "Professor Dumbledore promised to return soon."

"I know." said James tightly, his voice an octave higher then it normally was. His hands were balled into fists, and his knuckles were very white.

"I wonder what he's telling Remus," mused Lily thoughtfully. The words only seemed to make James more anxious.

"Dunno," he mumbled. He ran a hand through his tousled hair, making it even more messy, and crossed his legs. He was bobbing up and down in anticipation, and Lily swore she had never seen him so high-strung.

"Sweetheart, relax." she said quietly, taking James's hand in her own. "He's not going to be angry with us. You _know_ Remus. He will be overwhelmed, certainly, but glad that we're alive."

"I wish he'd hurry up," growled James through clenched teeth. "We've got to be at the Ministry in _fifty _minutes. I'd like to at least tell Remus 'hello' before we have to go on our merry way." James was looking everywhere as he spoke, drinking in all that he could see in Dumbledore's office. All of the familiar knickknacks and dusty tomes; all of the strange oddities and the shedding Phoenix, Fawkes. Things that he'd seen quite frequently growing up, as much of his time had been spent in detention.

Three raps at the door startled James and Lily. They jumped nervously in their seats, their eyes darting immediately to the rusty doorknob, which was turning. They held their breath as someone entered.

Remus Lupin was panting as he busted into the room. His eyes were wide with shock, and the veins in his neck were bulging. James wondered idly if he had run all the way up the winding staircase without stopping. Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen.

"Wha - wha -?" Remus stammered, looking rather like a fish. He seemed positively flabbergasted, as if James and Lily were the two people he had least expected to see.

"Remus," said Lily gently, rising from her seat to walk to the confused looking wizard. She wrapped her arms around his still form in a hug, and James could see tears forming in her emerald eyes. "It's so wonderful to see you."

Remus in no way responded to Lily's embrace. He stood there looking frightened, his gaze going back and forth between Lily and James. He finally settled on staring at James, images of a young boy wizard causing trouble and laughing with his friends coming to mind. James could see when Remus began to tear up, because he'd been staring right back at him.

"Hi, Moony." James croaked, his voice breaking. Lily pulled away from Remus, watching James in surprise. Her husband _never_ cried. She understood then that her presence in the room would only embarrass the men when they began to get emotional, so she politely excused herself.

"I think I'll go and spend some time with Harry," she said. She lightly kissed James upon the cheek and then left the room without another word.

"James?" whispered Remus incredulously after Lily had gone, daring to move a step closer to his former best mate. The walls that guarded him began to crumble, and he felt himself break at the sight of James.

"It's me." James said reassuringly, standing from his chair. He moved towards Remus slowly, remembering the late nights under the full moon and the secret trips to Hogsmeade. He felt like a teenager again, even though both he and Remus were much older. Remus looked_ even_ older, due to his grey hairs and tired eyes. Side effects of the lycanthropy, unfortunately. But it didn't matter - nothing mattered to James except the fact that something in his life was returning to the way he remembered. He had his friend back.

* * *

Harry had to admit that he'd been feeling anxious. For the past ten minutes, Ron and Hermione's reactions to his news had had him convinced that he'd completely dreamed his parents' return. But when he saw the familiarity of his mother walk to his bedside, he was flooded with joy.

"Hello, mum." he said happily, his eyes sparkling. He inhaled the familiar flowery fragrance that seemed to surround Lily at all times, and noted internally the scent felt like home.

"Hello, darling." replied Lily, equally as cheerful. "Madame Pomfrey told me you got to spend some time with your friends tonight. Did you have fun?"

"Loads," said Harry hollowly, a false smile lighting his face. He didn't want his mother to think anything was wrong. "Did you and dad get to see your friend, too?"

"Yes, your father is spending some time with him now," said Lily, taking Harry's hand in her own as she continued to speak. Harry loved the way his mother's frail fingers encircled his own. He had never felt so protected in all his life. "I decided to leave them be for a bit."

"Was he surprised to see you?" chuckled Harry coyly. Lily smiled.

"Stunned into silence." she confirmed. "And that's a first for Remus, at least when he's around James."

"When do you have to be at the Ministry?" asked Harry, hoping that his mother would give him a very late time. He wanted to spend as much time with her as he possibly could. He'd spoken with his father a fair deal, but he hadn't had any one-on-one time with his mum yet.

"Quite soon, unfortunately." said Lily, giving her little boy a sad smile. "But we'll be back very soon, I promise. And," here, Lily switched into a whisper. "if Madame Pomfrey agrees and we aren't at the Ministry all day, we can go home tomorrow!"

If possible, Harry's smile grew larger than the moon. His eyes brightened, and he sat straight up in his bed. He shouted, "Really?"

Lily laughed, and said, "Yes, really!"

"What's our house like?" asked Harry quickly, words tumbling from his mouth faster than his thoughts could form. "Where will we live? Is it near any other wizard families? Is it in the city? Is it a large house? Would I...I mean, could I...would I have a room just for myself? Is it okay to be there after it's been left alone for so long? What about -"

"Sweetheart, relax!" begged Lily. "Yes, from what I remember, it's quite a fine home. It's a nice place by the sea, very near the beach. It should be suitable for habitation - your father and I had a few house elves working there who were extremely loyal. They should still be up keeping it. And of _course_ you can have your own room, darling! Why wouldn't you?"

"Er...no reason." said Harry awkwardly, the fact that he'd once lived in a broom cupboard the _last _thing he wanted to bring up. "Just excited, I suppose."

"Well, I'm very glad you're happy." said Lily, kissing Harry's forehead as she stood up. "I don't want to leave, sweetheart, but we have to get to the Ministry. We have many things that we have to work out, the first of which requires an entire criminal trial."

"A trial?" inquired Harry, his eyebrows raising. "What requires a trial?"

"Well," said Lily uncertainly, unsure of how to explain the situation to Harry. He was still so young...how much of it would he be able to understand? "You see, for the last ten years, your Godfather has been locked in a place called Azkaban Prison. Have you heard of it?"

Harry thought for a moment, then shook his head. Lily sighed.

"Well, it's a very high-security facility," she said. "Nasty creatures called Dementors run the place. And your Godfather - Sirius is his name, Sirius Black - was put there on false charges without a trial."

"Why wouldn't they give him a trial?" asked Harry in horror, the thought of his very own Godfather being locked in such a dreadful place hurting his heart. Was that the friend his father had spoken of earlier?

"That's a good question," huffed Lily sadly, blowing a few loose strands of ruby red hair from her face. "And I'm afraid I don't have an answer."

Lily and Harry shared a meaningful hug before she had to leave, resulting in Harry once again being all alone. He decided that he would spend his time trying to sleep a tick more. After all, if all went according to plan, he would be having a very busy day tomorrow.

* * *

"For the twelfth time, I do not _care_ what standard procedure is, Fudge! _You_ were the unjust buffoon who sent him to prison without a trial in the _first_ place. I can give you evidence that that man is _innocent_!"

James Potter had never been so angry in all his life. His face was blood red, his pulse pounding in his ears. He felt that if someone didn't stop him, he was going to leap across the desk and _attack_ the ever-esteemed Minister of Magic. Even with his wife and his former Headmaster by his side, he felt completely alone in his fight to free Sirius.

"Mr. Potter," said Fudge, the name still not sounding right. It had been quite a long time since he'd used it, after all. "While I understand where you are coming from, I cannot just release a convicted murderer from prison on a _whim_. He has been locked away for ten years, you know - would it even be worth trying to give him a trial? I'm sure being around so many Dementors has driven him a bit...mad. Black is dangerous - never speaks, never even acknowledges your presence if you go to see him. He just sits there in a stony silence, probably plotting his escape. It's impossible to speak to him."

"Of course it is!" shrieked James angrily, pounding his fist onto the desk before him. The force caused one of Fudge's framed pictures to fall forward and crack. No one made a move to pick it up. "You just threw him into a cell without a word!"

"The evidence against Black was outstanding," explained Fudge in a calm voice. The tone of it made James's blood boil, and he interrupted Fudge with a fervor.

"You narcissistic, ignorant, _prat_!" cried James vioelntly. "He was _framed_, don't you understand that? He was framed by Peter Pettigrew! I wasn't even there and I'm almost positive I can tell you exactly what happened!"

"Now, Mr. Potter," reasoned Fudge gently. "I believe that I have been more than fair to you. I have made all kinds of exceptions to ensure that you and your family can be eased back into society with as little trouble as possible. At the request of your wife, I have even made it possible for you to return _home_ tomorrow. Can't we just handle this situation one matter at a time?"

"Certainly!" exclaimed James. "And the first matter I'd like to handle is the matter of removing my best mate from prison!"

"Mr. Fudge," said Lily coolly, gathering her thoughts before presenting her case to the Minister. "Sir, what my husband is trying to say is that Sirius is our friend. And he has suffered more than enough, don't you think? We can offer you proof that he is an innocent man, and doesn't this Ministry thrive on justice? I believe that this matter is of the utmost importance, and should be handled immediately."

"Dumbledore," said Fudge quickly, his beady eyes darting to Hogwarts's Headmaster. "You've been awfully quiet. What do you think about all this?"

"I came here simply to prove to you that Lily and James Potter have returned to us," said Dumbledore calmly, his wise and honest eyes dark. "I did not come here to fight their battles for them. I'm afraid that I have no inside information regarding Mr. Black other than that I knew he was _supposed_ to be the Secret-Keeper for the Potters, and that Peter Pettigrew's body was never found. I can also say that, from what I knew of Mr. Black, he was a very loyal friend to James and Lily, and a very devoted Godfather to Harry. The things he was imprisoned for would have been very outlandish, and out-of-character things for him to do."

"Well," sighed Fudge heavily, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. He looked more than a bit exhausted. "There's nothing to be done so late at night. Tomorrow morning, I will assemble the Wizengamot and discuss the possibilities. In the mean time, I suggest you worry about more important things, Mr. Potter."

"There is nothing more important to me at the moment, _sir_." hissed James spitefully, his hazel eyes narrowing. He looked positively lethal.

"Oh?" asked Fudge innocently. "Not even your boy, James?"

And for that, James had no answer. When Lily saw that her husband had nothing to say, a great idea came to her mind.

"Sir?" she addressed Fudge, using the sweetest voice she could muster. "Do you think it would be possible for us to at least _see_ Sirius?"

James perked up considerably, his eyes attentive. He studied Fudge, awaiting an answer. Fudge looked shocked.

"Y-You want to _see_ that man? In _Azkaban_?" he gasped. Lily's eyes were set, and she nodded solemnly. James followed her lead.

"I don't believe that's too unreasonable, Cornelius," Dumbledore chimed in, his tone light. "All things considered."

Fudge was speechless. His old eyes were wide, and he simply stared at the strange couple before him. The entire situation felt dream-like to the Minister. Here were Lily and James Potter, recently back from the dead, asking to see the mad murderer Sirius Black while he was still in prison. What was he to say? He looked to Dumbledore briefly, who gave him the most discreet of nods. The Minister gulped nervously, before turning back to the Potters and saying quietly, "I-I suppose I could allow that."

* * *

James went into Azkaban Prison alone.

He didn't want Lily to be there. He couldn't bear to see her in such deplorable conditions, warding off Dementors as they tried to suck out every last bit of happiness from her. She'd insisted to come in, of course, but James had forced her to stay behind. This was something he had to do alone.

His guide through Azkaban was a hunched, elderly man whose name he couldn't remember. The man was a wizard, and so had a wand in front of him lighting the way through the twisted corridors of possibly the most dangerous prison in the world. James tried as hard as he possibly could to ignore the moans and shrieks of the inmates, but he couldn't. The only thought he could process was that _this _was where Sirius had been for ten years. For all James knew, Sirius could be one of those insane lunatics who were screaming out and begging for death.

In Azkaban, most prisoners went mad within weeks. James _knew_ that. He was left to wonder how was Sirius even still _alive_?

"I's up 'ere," the wizard leading James announced, taking him through a doorway to a _very _long staircase. "Righ' at the top. Tha's the end of the firs' level, about sixteen stories up. You member whot I said 'bout them Dementors, dontcha?"

"I'll have my wand ready." said James, wanting to be rid of the fool's company. "I don't think I should be seeing any anytime soon, however."

The wizard guide chuckled, revealing the many teeth that were missing from his mouth. His grungy face twisted into a sadistic grin. "I wouldn' be too sure." he sang. James resisted the urge to spit at the man as he began to make his way up the grimy stairs to where his best mate was being held. It seemed to take an eternity to reach the top of that first level, but after intense focusing, James managed to make it.

There weren't very many prisoners being held there; there were only four or five cells that James could make out in the dim lighting. The criminals being held in those first few cells were either sleeping uneasily or rocking back and forth muttering to themselves. The sights of them sent chills up James's spine, and fear surged through his veins. He felt like a frightened child, in need of comfort from the horrifying images.

_Sirius has been here for ten years without any kind of escape from it,_ James reminded himself harshly. _The least you can do is be strong for him_. James felt his resolve strengthened, and he looked through the bars of each individual room trying to find a recognizable feature that would indicate Sirius.

It wasn't until he reached the fifth door that he found what he was looking for. Sirius was sitting in the corner of his cell, on the floor, his head resting on his knees. His hair was long and filthy, and his skin was gaunt and pale. He was wearing what looked like rags, and his frame was scarily skeletal. James almost didn't want Sirius to look up; he didn't want to see the hopelessness and death in those eyes. But he knew he had no choice; he had to free Sirius, and in order to do that, he was going to have to speak to him.

James cleared his throat, and then whispered hoarsely through the moldy bars to Sirius, "P-Padfoot? Is that you, mate?"

Faster, and with more energy than James would have guessed he possessed, Sirius's head snapped up. His grey eyes flickered to life, and his head moved about madly looking for the source of the voice he had heard. He could see a shadow standing in front of his cell, but couldn't make out any of the features. Despite his promise never to speak or show any sign of life while he was in prison, his curiosity got the better of him. He asked, in a frighteningly sore voice, "Who's there?" He cringed inwardly; he sounded like a hysterical animal.

James hastily wiped the tears from his eyes. He couldn't show Sirius how weak he was. "It's me," he said uncertainly. "It's James. It's a...bit of a long story. But we're going to get you out of here, Padfoot, I promise you. We've already been to see Fudge. You're going to get your trial, and you're going to come live with us. Everything will go back to the way it used to be." James felt like he was trying to convince himself of that more than he was trying to convince Sirius. It was silent for a moment, and James feared he'd lost Sirius, when he heard something coming from his best friend's direction.

"It's happened." Sirius croaked in horror. "I've gone mad."

James hit his head against the cold bars of Sirius's _cage_, and moaned. This was going to be an incredibly horrid uphill battle. But Sirius was worth it, and if it was the last thing James ever did, he was going to save the last of the faithful Marauders. It was all he could do to attempt to fix all that had broken after his death. Harry, Remus, and Sirius were going to be in perfect condition; James was going to make sure of it.

* * *

Author's Note: Well, that's a wrap on Chapter 2! May I please just say that I was so incredibly blown away by the response I have received so far! Ten reviews on just Chapter 1? You guys are the best! I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to write this story, and I'm happy you all are enjoying it so far! Reviewer responses will be posted below, but before I write those, I just wanted to send a massive thank you to _all_ of you. I also just wanted to tell you about how this story is going to be updated; I'm going to shoot for once a week. Now between work and everything else I have going on in my hectic life, I can't promise you regular updates, but I figure if I give myself a week to write a chapter, I should be able to post it :) So...how about (and this might be subject to change) I'll try to post by every Friday? Meaning Chapter 3 should be up by the 19th :) If something comes up, I'll be sure to let you guys know! As always, reviews are very encouraged and appreciated, and I hope to hear from you guys again soon! See ya later :)

REVIEWER RESPONSES:

_Paddy Gurl:_ Thank you very much! I hope you enjoyed Chapter 2 :)

_Daughter of the Full Moon:_ Yay! I'm so glad you're enjoying it! :)

_merdarkandtwisty:_ There's so much _I_ can't wait to _write_! You sound just like me, I'm super excited to get everything into this story, already! Don't worry, you won't be disappointed! I plan to have Lily (and James) find out everything about Harry. But I think he's going to have to get to trusting them a bit more before he spills the beans about his whole life story. I mean, even though they're his parents, he _does_ barely know them. I think the thing that I'm most looking forward to is getting Sirius out of Azkaban. He's my favorite character in the series, and I hope to do him justice! I think the thing I've noticed with most Lily/James return fics is that Sirius is just magically out of jail no problem and is completely sane. I understand that he didn't exactly go _nuts_ in Azakaban, but I don't think he'd be doing so well while he's still _in_ there. I also tend (in those stories) not to see a whole lot of Sirius still _in_ jail, so I definitely wanted to throw that in here. Okay, this response is getting super long so I'm going to stop now, but thanks a million for reviewing and I hope to hear from you again!

_Guest_: Awe, thank you! You just about made my night by saying that :) I'm so happy you like this story so far, and I hope to see you around for Chapter 3!

_The Reader:_ Thank you so much for reviewing! If you saw above, I plan to update, hopefully, weekly. It'll probably be on Fridays most of the time, but it honestly depends on the days I have off from work. If anything, I can say that the chapters will most likely be posted _by_ Friday:) I hope you enjoyed Chapter 2!

_MichGirl07:_ Thank you very much for taking the time to review! Oh my goodness, I could _never_ make the whole thing a dream and do that to poor Harry! D: Although...that seriously sounds like something I would do to my readers in the stories I normally write. I have a knack for being kind of evil and like, killing people off or gravely injuring them...but Harry Potter is just different for me. I love Lily/James comes back fics (and fluff...I like lotsa fluff) but I also like things to be both believable and realistic. I think that's the thing I'm aiming for here - to be realistic. So to hear that I'm doing that so far is wonderful! :D As for the Snape thing, I very much appreciate your helpfulness! I have to admit, I really wasn't too sure how to write that. I think the reason I had Snape be so calmed by Lily so suddenly was to make it obvious to Harry that something was going on there. That way it's not _too_ big of a shock when the boy finds out that the man who loathes him is in love with his mother. Thank you again, and I hope to hear from you in Chapter 3! :)

_A.S.-sama: _Thank you for reviewing, and I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far! Don't worry, there _will_ be a Durlsey reaction (eventually!) but I don't know how soon that's going to be. I definitely don't want to rush the story, so it might not be for a while, but it'll build and be just as exciting as you'd expect! Thanks again, and hope to see you around for the next chapter! :)

_Onceuponatimebiggestfan:_ Thank you very much for reviewing! I'm so happy you think so highly of this story, your comment made me smile so much :D As for the Petunia/Lily hug...well, I'm not saying it won't happen, but it might take Lily a little while to get over the fact that her sister treated her son so poorly :P I've always felt really sorry for Petunia though, because she really _did_ love her sister, but they never got the chance to reconnect. I hope to change that, I just don't know when. Thank you again for reviewing, and hope to hear from you again! :)

_HollzHatter:_ Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad I've got you hooked, I hope to make this story as interesting (yet realistic) as possible. And I know what you mean about the other Lily/James Return fics. I'm 99% sure I've read every single one on this website, and nearly all of them take place between Goblet of Fire and Half Blood Prince, with the occasional exception of occurring after Deathly Hallows. I think I've only seen one other fic that happened when Harry was still young, but I can't remember what it was :P I'm so happy you're enjoying the story, and I hope to hear from you again! :)


	4. Chapter 3: A Storm By The Sea

**Chapter Three - A Storm By The Sea**

_"It's happened." Sirius croaked in horror. "I've gone mad."_

_James hit his head against the cold bars of Sirius's cage, and moaned. This was going to be an incredibly horrid uphill battle. But Sirius was worth it, and if it was the last thing James ever did, he was going to save the last of the faithful Marauders. It was all he could do to attempt to fix all that had broken after his death. Harry, Remus, and Sirius were going to be in perfect condition; James was going to make sure of it._

To be frank, Harry was quite tired of being left alone.

He watched helplessly from his bedroom window as his parents met with someone on the front lawn of his new home. Words were exchanged, and then with only a pop, James and Lily Potter were gone. Their friend, who Harry knew to be Remus Lupin, was left standing by himself near the front door of Potter Manor. Harry waited anxiously as his nanny for the evening made his way into the house.

Harry understood why Lupin was to sit with him for the night; the estate was large, and would feel even emptier and lonelier without his parents. There were the house elves, of course, but they weren't particularly good company.

Having just moved in that morning, Harry had been hoping to spend the evening with his family. He'd been counting on it, in fact; he hadn't heard any word from Ron or Hermione since they'd left him in the hospital wing the day before, and he truly needed to spend quality time with people who cared for him. But his parents had business at the Ministry that they had said simply couldn't wait.

"But why must you go at ten o'clock?" Harry had asked his mother earlier that evening. She had sighed as she'd answered.

"We must be early, dear." she had explained. "This is very important to your father."

"What is?" Harry had wondered.

"The trial," Lily had said. "The Ministry is going to ask your godfather some important questions tonight. You see darling, this is his chance to finally be free. The Wizengamot will not be in session until midnight in order to avoid the press. What the government did to your godfather was very wrong, and they don't want the public to find out about it until they can cover it up."

Harry ran a hand through his hair, and went to sit on his bed. It was simple, with only a red comforter for the time being, but it was still _his _bed. And it felt wonderful to have nice possessions that he could claim as his own. His bare walls, his generic chest of drawers, his dusty lamp...things that would improve with time, but that he would be able to say were his.

It began to rain outside; Harry could hear the storm rolling in over the sea, which was close to his home as well. Cracks of thunder shook the entire frame of his house, and bolts of lightning were the only sources of light in the otherwise total darkness of the night.

Three knocks at his door interrupted Harry's thoughts about the weather. He sighed to himself before calling out, "Come in."

The doorknob turned very slowly, and the door swung open to reveal a man his parents considered to be one of their best friends. He was their age, but he somehow looked older; grey streaked his hair, and his eyes looked tired and worn. But he still seemed to be kind, as there were lines near his mouth that signaled he'd laughed a lot in his lifetime. Harry tried to smile as he introduced himself.

"I'm Harry," he said delicately. "Are you Lupin?"

Lupin nodded, and smiled in return. "Remus will do." he replied gently. "May I come in?"

"Sure," Harry said nonchalantly, shrugging. He stood, and pulled a small wooden chair over to the side of his bed. The legs of the chair scraped the floor, creating a horrific noise. "Have a seat," he gestured to the seat politely.

"Thank-you," said Remus, moving over to where Harry had set the chair. He sat on it gratefully, attempting to get comfortable.

It was awkward for a few moments, as both Harry and Remus didn't seem to know what to say. All that could be heard was the sound of the rain hitting the roof of the house. Finally, however, Remus managed to break the ice. He broke into a wide smile as he said, "You've grown quite a bit since the last time I saw you."

"When was the last time you saw me?" asked Harry idly.

"You were about a year old." Remus chuckled, his eyes unfocusing as he remembered the time so long ago. "It was just before you moved here. You lived in Hogsmeade Village at the time; have you been there? It's right next to Hogwarts. You'll take visits there eventually."

Harry shook his head, his interest piqued. "What's it like? Is it big?"

Remus nodded, relaxing a bit. He was glad to have something to talk about with the boy he barely knew. "It's got loads of things to do; you'll have to try the Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks, of course, and I'm sure your father won't let you leave without having seen Zonko's."

"Zonko's?" asked Harry.

"A joke shop," laughed Remus casually. "James was a regular."

"My dad liked to play jokes on people?" wondered Harry. He had never thought of his father to be the pranking type; had he been like Fred and George Weasley?

"You don't know the half of it," chuckled Remus.

For nearly an hour and a quarter, Harry and his honorary uncle conversed in the bedroom. They spoke of Remus's schooldays, and Harry learned of the Marauders. He was more than a little surprised at the thought of his father being such a trouble-maker, but decided that the personality was one he could see fitting James perfectly. Harry told Remus all about Quidditch, and the two were quite excited to speak about broomsticks and Snitches. The one subject not breached, however, was that of the man Harry's parents were going to see to freeing from prison that very evening.

It wasn't until Harry and Remus reached the kitchen for a snack that the former built up the courage to ask about it.

"Remus?" questioned Harry. "The man my parents are trying to free tonight...my godfather...do you know him?"

Remus was buttering a piece of bread, but as Harry's words reached his ears, he set what he'd been holding down on the counter. He looked like he had a bit of a headache as he answered. "Yes. I _knew_ him."

"Who is he?" asked Harry innocently. He had no idea the pain he was causing the older man just by speaking.

Remus sighed, and sat at the small kitchen table that was situated in the corner of the room. Harry joined him there, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"His name was Sirius Black," answered Remus honestly, his voice hoarse. "He was your father's very best friend growing up; one of mine as well. He was Padfoot - remember, I told you about him?"

Harry nodded, so Remus continued.

"When your parents found out that Voldemort was after them," it surprised Harry that Remus did not fear the name, "They used a very powerful, serious kind of magic to protect them. They had to entrust this...magical secret, if you will, with one person."

"And they chose Sirius?" Harry guessed.

"They did," said Remus. "And when Voldemort got to them anyway, you can imagine how that looked. Sirius was blamed for killing them. And as if that wasn't enough, he was also blamed for murdering thirteen people the very next morning."

"Why would he do such a thing?" asked Harry in horror.

"The papers called him mad," said Remus sadly. "And a follower of Voldemort..._I'd_ thought he'd gone mad, too. I'd believed entirely that he'd committed the crimes he was imprisoned for."

"What changed your mind?" inquired Harry. Remus smiled.

"Your dad," he replied. "Because he told me the truth; the truth that Sirius was _not_ the man they had entrusted their secret with. The truth that Sirius had killed no one."

Harry attempted to wrap his head around all the information that was hitting him at once, but it was difficult; it was overwhelming. Still, he tried to keep the conversation flowing with Remus, so he said, "Do you think mum and dad will be able to free him?"

Remus sighed for a second time, and shook his head solemnly. "It would take a miracle." he muttered.

Midnight came and went, and Harry could see the change in Remus when it did. He became more nervous and high-strung; he checked the clock every few moments, trying to turn the hands faster by sheer force of will. He didn't speak to Harry nearly as much, and sat in an entirely different room. Harry watched as he attempted to look busy, holding a book in his lap for cover. It might have been more convincing if the book hadn't been turned upside-down.

Harry gave up on trying to socialize with Remus, and returned to his room sullenly. He shut his door behind him, unable to help but thinking that he felt like he was with the Durlseys again. All by himself, no letters from Ron or Hermione, no parents to tuck him in and kiss him goodnight. So Harry did what he used to do when he was younger; he tucked _himself_ into bed, pulling the covers tightly around his small body. He fluffed his pillow, and squeezed his own hand tightly. If no one else loved him, he loved himself, and that had always been enough for him growing up. And besides, the loneliness wasn't forever; with any luck, his parents would be back to wake him in the morning.

* * *

A loud ruckus coming from downstairs woke Harry up at 4:00AM. At first he thought he was dreaming, so he attempted to go back to sleep. But when the voices and crashes and other sounds began to get louder and more frequent, Harry could only assume that they were reality.

He tiredly forced his body out from under the covers, unsteady on his feet as he made contact with the floor. He took a moment to collect himself, turning on the light in the hopes that the brightness would help to fully awaken him. Just as he was about to walk out to the hallway to see what all the commotion was, he heard the unmistakable sound of his father shouting, "I DON'T KNOW, REMUS!"

Adrenaline pumping through Harry's veins, he padded down the steps to the first floor of his home as quickly as he could. He stopped just before he reached the living room, his eyes taking in the sight before him.

His mother was crying away from everyone else, her back pressed against the wall in one of the corners. Remus and his dad were yelling in loud voices, but not necessarily at each other. They seemed incredibly stressed more than anything. And on the couch sat a man that Harry could only assume was Sirius Black; he was dressed in garments that greatly resembled rags, and his dirty face was covered by long, straggly hair. He sat motionlessly, his eyes unfocused and his voice silent.

No one seemed to take notice of Harry, and so he listened intently to the conversation flowing around him.

"James, what _happened_ there? Something must have to keep him so quiet!" said Remus pleadingly.

James yelled back, "Nothing happened, Moony! He was forced to talk, and he did, but it was only because he was under the influence of Veritaserum! After they freed him, he refused to speak, or even acknowledge our presence!"

"James," cried Lily, her voice thick with tears. "Please stop yelling. You'll wake Harry!" she hiccupped, and a fresh wave of sobs overtook her. Harry felt the intense urge to run over and hug her.

James didn't even seem to hear his wife. His wide eyes were anguished, and Harry had never seen his father in such a state. "We'll fix him, Remus, I know we will!" he said, trying to convince his friend. Remus shook his head angrily.

"How, James?" he asked. "He was in that place for _ten years_! The Dementors leave no joy, you know that! They took away every ounce of happiness, every cheerful memory. He's gone round the bend, we _knew_ this is what was to be expected!"

"I won't give up on him!" screamed James.

"No one's asking you to!" retorted Remus.

"Stop it!" screeched Lily, her voice breaking. The sound was enough to snap James and Remus out of it, and they immediately turned their attention to Harry's mum. "You are being immature! Arguing like a few first years! It's very late, and there's nothing to be done right now. Your incessant screaming is going to wake Harry up, and we don't need to worry him! Now both of you, just go to bed! _Now_!" A loud crash of thunder outside only seemed to amplify Lily's distress.

James and Remus looked slightly abashed. Remus threw his hands into the air as a sign of giving up, and stalked right past Harry to where he assumed was one of the guest rooms. James took a moment longer to move, but when he did, it wasn't towards bed. He slowly made his way to Lily, wrapping his arms tightly around her. He looked as if he couldn't survive without her. They whispered to each other for a few moments, but they were so quiet that Harry couldn't understand the words. He took that time to hide behind the nearby Grandfather Clock so his parents wouldn't see him when they walked by. It took many minutes for them to finally move from the living room; Harry thought that maybe they were trying to break through to Sirius one last time. But eventually, he saw their shadowed forms move past him and head up the staircase. He hoped their minds were so full of thoughts from the trial that they wouldn't think to check on him in his room.

He waited until he heard the chime of the clock declare that it was five before he made any motion to move from his hiding spot. He looked all around him for a sign of life, and then crept out from the dusty space he was situated in. He was quite careful not to bump the clock as his small body maneuvered around it. He was silent as a mouse, and poked his head around the corner of the living room, allowing his eyes to adjust to the slightly lighter atmosphere.

He noted quickly that everything looked exactly as it had when he'd spied on his parents and Remus earlier; Sirius was even still on the couch, unmoving and unblinking. He looked more like a statue than a man, and Harry wondered how horrible of a place Azkaban Prison was if it caused its inmates to end up in such a state. He swallowed his fear as he crept to the sofa, continuing to walk until he was right next to his godfather.

"Hello?" he whispered quietly, tapping Sirius on the shoulder. He internally cringed at how bony it was. "Hello?" he repeated. Sirius did not even seem to hear him. "Are you Sirius?" asked Harry. Still, it was silent. "Can you at least nod that you're hearing me?"

No nodding occurred, and Harry felt his spirits lower. This was supposed to be his dad's best friend, and if he couldn't be helped, then what would happen to James? Harry had just gotten his father back, and he had no intentions of losing him again. It was then that he decided that _he_ was going to be the one to fix Sirius, and he was going to do it before dawn - there was no going back.

"Alright," said Harry authoritatively, with more power in his voice than ever before. "I have to help you before morning so my dad isn't upset. I _want_ to help you, but I can't if you won't speak to me. So will you at least tell me what's the matter?"

Sirius was still quiet.

"I'm not moving from this spot until you talk to me!" Harry tried angrily.

Harry's incessant persistance seemed to be Sirius's breaking point, because he croaked in a voice that sounded hoarse and unused, "Go away."

Harry felt pride well inside his chest; he'd gotten further with Sirius than his dad _or_ Remus had! "I am _not_ going to go away." Harry assured him. "I'm here to help you!"

"They're not real," Sirius muttered to himself, his eyes darting crazily around the room. "Talking to them isn't going to make them real. They'll go away, they have to go away..."

"But I am real!" said Harry indignantly, bending down so that his face was at the same level as Sirius's. He forced the elder man to make eye contact with him. "I think I'd know if I wasn't. You're my godfather, Sirius Black, and I want to make you better. Don't you know who I am? I'm Harry Potter; James is my dad."

Suddenly, Sirius did something that completely shocked Harry; he began to cry. Great, fat tears rolled from his eyes, and he looked like an infant. Having never met Sirius before, Harry had absolutely no idea what he should do to help him. He thought back to what his Aunt Petunia used to do when Dudley would throw one of his fits; she would bend down and gather him in her arms, and whisper soothing words of encouragement. Well, Harry didn't have any better ideas, so that's exactly what he did. He hugged Sirius tightly (politely ignoring the grime that seemed to cover him from head to toe) and spoke to him as one would speak to a small child.

This continued for some time, before something dawned on Harry that changed everything. He remembered something Remus had said earlier, something that could make all the difference in Sirius's healing: _The Dementors leave no joy, you know that! They took away every ounce of happiness, every cheerful memory._ If Sirius honestly believed that he was still going mad in a cell in Azkaban, then why would his hallucination be that his very best friends were back in his life? Wouldn't that make him happy? And Dementors supposedly took all that away...

It was a long shot, Harry knew that, but he had to bring his epiphany to Sirius's attention. "Sirius!" he whispered excitedly. "Sirius, I've just thought of something really important!" Sirius was quiet, so Harry continued. "You dreaming of all of this while you're still in prison would be impossible! Don't those guards, those Dementors, prohibit happiness? And wouldn't you be happy if you had your friends back? You're not mad, I knew you weren't!"

The effects Harry's words had on Sirius were not instantaneous. For many long minutes, he just sat there. He wasn't crying any longer, but he was back to his unbreakable, stony silence. Harry could practically see the gears turning in his godfather's head as he mulled over what he'd just been told.

Sirius's eyes seemed to somehow snap into focus, and he really looked at where he was. He took in all of his surroundings, starting with the couch he was seated on. At the sight of the red swirling patterns of the sofa, recognition flashed through his pupils. He touched a hand to the rags he was dressed in, and then ran his skeleton-like fingers through his mess of hair. He touched his face, every single part of his face, and then the cushions beneath him. Harry watched in amazement, wondering if he had truly been able to break through to Sirius.

For the first time, Sirius rationally looked at Harry. His eyes were not unfocused or far away, but were intently gazing at him. He drank in the sight of his godson, hardly daring to believe that he was truly real. He touched Harry's mop of hair hesitantly, and then his scar. The scar that Sirius had only seen once before, when Harry was a baby. That night...that horrible night was one of the only things he'd been left with back in Azkaban. Now, however, he could remember - for the first time in years - the times preceding that tragic night. The happy days with his friends, his years of school at Hogwarts, James's smile, Remus's laugh...he'd been sure the Dementors had erased those things, but now they were flooding back into him with warmth.

He _wasn't_ mad...if he was mad, then he would be like the others who thought of only death and tragedy. If he was mad, he wouldn't even be able to _see_ a living version of James. If he was mad, then Harry wouldn't be sitting right in front of him.

"H-Harry," murmured Sirius in disbelief, initiating another hug with his godson. He took him into his arms with all the strength he could muster, relishing in the fact that _this _was reality. That _this _was really happening. "Harry," he said again.

Harry's face broke into a brilliant grin; his dad was going to be so happy! "It's me," Harry assured the practical stranger in front of him. "I'm real, I promise."

"I-I'm free," Sirius said, breaking off the hug. It seemed that everything was coming back to him at once. "And your dad - James..."

"And my mum," Harry reminded Sirius. "They're both back - they're going to take care of me now, and I'm going to live with them!"

"But..." Sirius stammered. "How can that be?"

"It was Dumbledore's doing," explained Harry jovially. "And Nicolas Flamel's. It was explained more thoroughly to my parents, so you should ask them in the morning."

Sirius was quiet once more, but it was not something that Harry felt needed to be changed. Sirius was finally starting to return to his senses, and if silence was the best way for him to go about doing that, then Harry was by no means going to interrupt. It wasn't until Sirius returned to looking at him that he dared to speak again.

"Would you like something to drink?" he offered. "Or some fresh robes? My dad has some in a wardrobe upstairs, I'm sure I could knick a pair he wouldn't miss too much."

Sirius seemed to take in Harry's words and think about them before he answered. Harry wasn't meaning to overwhelm his godfather, he was simply excited to have been able to do something right for a change.

Sirius nodded mutely, but that was all Harry needed. He darted from his living room with all the speed in the world, taking the stairs two at a time until he reached his parents' room. He opened their door without even a creak, and tip-toed to the corner, where a large wardrobe stood. He checked over his shoulder to ensure that his parents were still sound asleep before he opened the small door that led to the robes. He grabbed a few at random that looked like they would fit Sirius and then closed the wardrobe again. His task complete, he left the room in much the same way he'd entered it, and ran back to where Sirius was waiting for him.

"These should fit," said Harry eagerly, handing Sirius the pile of black cloth. "There's a washroom just over there where you can change."

"I know where it is," said Sirius meekly, accepting Harry's offer. He stood shakily, in a sort of state of disbelief. Harry wondered if he was still in shock. He watched with pity as the broken shell of the laughing trouble-maker once known as Padfoot stalked off in the direction of the loo.

Harry decided to wait for Sirius on the couch, so he settled himself next to a few pillows and rested his head. He felt extremely happy inside; his parents were going to be so excited, especially his father. And Harry would be able to tell him that_ he_ was the one who'd saved Sirius. And he'd done it all for James. Now his father would love him even more, and there would never be a reason for him to be unhappy.

Harry wondered for a bit how he'd managed to get through to Sirius when James and Remus had not. The thought wasn't very troubling, but Harry was still curious. Perhaps he'd simply said the right things, and brought up the right facts. Perhaps he and his godfather had a special connection. Or perhaps he'd just gotten lucky. That was one word Harry knew all too well - luck. Everything in his life thus far had been achieved by luck; things happening at just the right moment in just the right way. But maybe this luck would be able to bring people joy instead of pain from then on out.

Harry couldn't hear the storm outside any longer; it must have gone away. He turned his head just enough to see the window, and noticed that the sun was beginning to rise. It was a beautiful view; the sky was turning to a light shade of grey, and the rolling waves of the ocean were lapping onto the shore. The sun was rising above those waves, casting gorgeous rays of light. The storm was over, leaving in its place nothing but beauty...at least for the moment.

* * *

Author's Note: I WAS SO EXCITED TO WRITE THIS CHAPTER! I'm sorry I missed my Friday update, but I do have a reason. I had most of this chapter typed out on here when my computer decided to stop working, thus erasing _absolutely everything_. I had to restart the chapter from the beginning, which as fellow authors can attest to, is quite discouraging and tedious. But I have re-written it, and here it is! I love writing about Harry interacting with Sirius and Remus, so I naturally loved this chapter. It was particularly hard, however, to write for Sirius. Since he's kind of, well, loony. But now that he's at least a _bit_ back to normal (though still incredibly in shock) it should be easier to write him in the future. I hope you all enjoyed reading, and I promise that I will _not_ miss this Friday's update :) Expect Chapter 4 on July 26! I can't say _when_ on July 26, but that's when it will be. Anyhow, reviews would be amazing - I'd love to know what you all thought! I hope to see you all back for the next chapter, so stay tuned! The _real_ drama has yet to begin :D

REVIEWER RESPONSES

_Guest:_ I'm glad you love the story! Thank you very much for reviewing, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter :)

_Digimon491: _Thank ya very much! I'm glad you're enjoying the way things are going. Hope you liked the chapter! :)

_merdarkandtwisty:_ Yeah, I couldn't make things easy for Harry regarding Ron and Hermione. As you can tell by this chapter, there's _enough_ drama going on without adding their reactions into the mix! I'll probably have them come back into the story in a few chapters, but for now, I'm trying to focus on Harry's home life. As for the scene with Sirius, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! That was my favorite part of the last chapter, too. I don't know that the rest of the story will be as Sirius-centric as this chapter was, but I definitely enjoy writing him, so he will_ always_ have a place here. Hope you enjoyed Chapter 3, and hope to hear from you again! :)

_Paddy Gurl:_ Thank you for your review! I'm glad you're liking the chapters so far :) Hope to hear from you again soon!

_meeeeeeeeee:_ Thank you very much for the review! Hope you enjoyed the amount of Sirius in this chapter :) Although, I think _next_ chapter (with his reunion with James and Remus and such) is the chapter you're waiting for :) Thank you for your encouragement, and hope to see you around for Chapter 4!

_The Reader:_ Yes, I promise I'll keep to the weekly update from now on! You can expect Chapter 4 on Friday. I can't wait to see Moony and Padfoot, either! I love the idea of Harry having a proper family, so when everybody is all fixed up, things should be going pretty well for our Boy Who Lived. Well...at least for a bit. He always tends to be a magnet for trouble, so that will definitely shine through in this story. Things with Ron and Hermione will patch themselves up eventually, but I definitely agree with you that it's best to disappoint him at first. Thank you for your kind words, and hope to see you around for the next chapter!


	5. Chapter 4: The Only Escape

**Chapter Four - The Only Escape**

_Harry couldn't hear the storm outside any longer; it must have gone away. He turned his head just enough to see the window, and noticed that the sun was beginning to rise. It was a beautiful view; the sky was turning to a light shade of grey, and the rolling waves of the ocean were lapping onto the shore. The sun was rising above those waves, casting gorgeous rays of light. The storm was over, leaving in its place nothing but beauty...at least for the moment._

When James awoke the next morning, his entire body felt like it was being held down by a large lead weight. His eyelids, especially, felt heavy. His muscles were aching and sore, and he wanted nothing more than to let sleep fall over him once again.

But he couldn't do that; he couldn't rest more than he had to until everything was back to the way it used to be. He had to make amends with Remus, and ensure that they wouldn't be fighting again; they never used to fight, and he wasn't about to let that become a regular occurence. He'd have to make sure his wife was happy at all times; her happiness, after all, was his first priority. And he had to make sure that Sirius became himself again. He wouldn't give up until his best friend was freed from the dark prison of his mind.

James turned over to his side, and noticed that Lily was still slumbering softly beside him. Her red hair was splayed over the white pillow her head rested on, and she looked like an angel as she slept. Her face was swollen from crying, but she still looked more beautiful than anyone else in the entire world. The light that was shining from the window on James's left danced through the room, giving it a joyous feeling. Quite different from the feeling that the storm the night before had given things.

_"Is that to say that you, Sirius Black, do in all aspects deny having anything to do with the death of James Potter and his wife?" _

The words from the trial still rang through James's head. It kept coming back to him, in bits and pieces; it had littered his dreams for the few hours he'd been able to sleep, and he wasn't sure he'd ever forget the hollow look in Sirius's eyes every time he'd been forced to give an answer.

_"I as good as killed them, but no, I was not their Secret-Keeper. We gave that _honor_ to Peter Pettigrew. It was my idea - I never thought Peter would be suspected, you see. James and I never even stopped to notice that _he_ was the one who was plotting against _us_." _

James glanced up to the wall before him, and stared at the clock for five long minutes before he was able to make out the time; seven-thirty. He'd only been able to sleep for a little over three hours.

He knew, however, that sleeping once more was not going to happen. He reluctantly hoisted himself from bed, being careful not to jostle the mattress. He didn't want to wake Lily. He lethargically made his way to his wardrobe, wrinkling his brow when he noticed that its door was slightly ajar; had he left it open the night before? Sighing, he removed a pair of slippers from one of the drawers, and put them on his aching feet. He stretched his limbs as he yawned, cringing as he heard them cracking. It was going to be a _long_ day.

Glancing behind him one last time to make sure Lily was fast asleep, James exited his bedroom and shut the door quietly. He poked his head into Harry's room quickly, with the intention of making sure his son was alright, but was perplexed to discover that the bed which should have held Harry was empty. James thought that perhaps his boy had simply woken up early and gone downstairs for breakfast; which wouldn't have been a horrible thing if Sirius wasn't downstairs, too. Cursing under his breath, James bolted down the staircase, worried more than anything that Harry had discovered Sirius and was trying to get him to talk. Any other time James would have trusted Sirius, but when Sirius was in such a state, James didn't know _what_ he was capable of. What if Harry was hurt?

James reached the living room after only a few moments, and was relieved to find that Harry was sleeping peacefully on the couch. James walked to him slowly, trying not to wake him, and kissed him upon the forehead. Once the relief washed away, however, James was left with confusion; why was Harry sleeping on the couch? When had he left his room? And...where was Sirius?

_"And the lives of the twelves Muggles who were killed on November the first, 1981, should be on the conscience of Pettigrew as well, Mr. Black?" _

As suddenly as the thought reached James's mind, the sound of a door sliding open could be heard from the direction of the washroom. James took his wand, which he always kept with him, from his back pocket and pointed it lethally in front of him. While it wasn't likely that someone who meant his family harm would have been hiding in the loo, James was not keen on taking chances. It wasn't until he saw the man who was entering the living room that he let his guard drop completely.

It was Sirius, of course - had James really been expecting anyone else? Except it actually _looked _like Sirius; he was cleanly shaven, and his hair was back to its usual shoulder-length cut. He was wearing a pair of James's robes, but they hung over his skeletal body much too loosely. He still looked fretful and pale, but he seemed a tad more _normal_. And there was more light in his eyes than James had seen in many years. As soon as the two men made eye-contact, they froze; neither wanted to be the first to move, because neither knew what exactly to say. Finally, however, James knew that he had to break the silence.

"S-Sirius?" he stammered uneasily, taking a step closer to his friend. Sirius didn't shy away from James as he had before; in fact, he seemed to drink in his presence hungrily, as though he didn't believe he was really there.

"James?" he whispered hoarsely, his voice thick with unshed tears. His voice didn't sound far-away or shaky; it sounded like _Sirius_. The youthful innocence he had once been known for was evidently present in his tone.

"Is it...you?" James asked nervously, hoping Sirius understood what he meant. He didn't want to get his hopes up only to have his heart break when Sirius went back to a frenzied, maddened state.

Sirius simply nodded, and whispered, "I'm more myself than I have been in quite some time."

The conversation was too formal, and both men seemed to realize that. It seemed that finally the dam was breaking, and they ran to each other hysterically. They embraced one another in a brotherly hug, which was something they would be sure to deny later on. For that instant, they were just two brothers who had missed each other more than anything else. They both seemed to understand that things _could_ one day return to the way they used to be, and that thought was incredibly overwhelming. They could be a _family_ again.

"It's so good to have you back, mate," James sobbed, grasping Sirius's thin frame tightly.

Sirius returned the gesture with as much strength as he could muster. He murmured back through torrents of tears, "You've no idea."

_"Yes - all that went wrong was the fault of Pettigrew. Or perhaps it _was_ all my fault, and you were right to send me to Azkaban. I was the one, after all, who talked James into trusting Peter. I'm as much to blame for the crimes you imprisoned me for as he is." _

* * *

Harry woke up at eight-thirty with a stiff back and an aching head. It took him much longer than it should have to ascertain his location, which was the floral couch in the sitting room of his house. He must have fallen asleep there when he was waiting for Sirius to -

Sirius!

Where was he? Harry sprang up from the sofa with all the energy of the eleven year-old that he was, and hopped onto the carpeted floor of the living room. His bare feet were tender as the scratchy rug beneath him made contact with his toes, and he cringed - he had to remember to stick to sleeping in his _bed_ in the future.

Harry looked all around him for his godfather, but could not for the life of him locate him. He ran from the living room quickly, understanding that there was no point in searching there, and made his way to the hallway. Sirius was not there either, and the door to the washroom was open, with the lights turned off. The door to the guest room where Remus was staying was closed and locked, which meant Remus had not yet emerged for the morning. Harry had just been about to check the dining hall when he heard voices coming from behind the kitchen door.

"...it was Harry, James, he was the one who..."

It sounded much more stable than it had last night, but that was _definitely_ Sirius's voice. Harry darted to his kitchen quickly, and thrust open the door. He was met with the sight of his father and his godfather exchanging words over cups of coffee. They both had red, swollen faces, and Harry could only guess that they'd been crying. He politely ignored that as he asked, "Dad?"

"Good morning, son." said James, keeping his tone as light and cheerful as he could. "Sirius was just telling me what...what you did for him. And for me." It was quiet for a moment as James collected himself. His eyes glistened as he said fervently to his boy, "_Thank you_."

Harry smiled proudly, noting how much better Sirius looked. There was life in his grey eyes, and he actually seemed...happy.

"I don't believe I properly introduced myself last night, Harry," said Sirius steadily, holding a hand out for Harry to shake. "Sirius Black." he said casually, smiling crookedly. It was the first smile Harry had ever seen on his godfather's face, and he promised himself to remember it for the rest of his life. These were the beginning stages of having the family he'd always wanted, and he didn't want to forget a moment of it.

"Glad to finally meet you." grinned Harry excitedly, shaking Sirius's hand merrily.

"Ten years overdue, I'm afraid." sighed Sirius sadly. It happened gradually, but Harry noticed it because he'd been staring into Sirius's eyes as they'd been speaking. His pupils became large, and the light that had existed within them slowly faded away. Sirius's face became completely blank and pale, and he seemed to be looking at something far, far away. The expression scared Harry, because it reminded him very much of the Sirius he had met the night before; the Sirius who wasn't _really_ Sirius.

"Padfoot!" said James worriedly, his voice high and sharp. The name seemed to snap Sirius back into reality, and he blinked furiously a few times as though he was trying to see. He cleared his throat, and after a moment, mumbled "Sorry."

"It's quite alright, mate." said James in a too-chipper voice. He smiled, but Harry could tell that it wasn't reaching his eyes. "Just try to stay in _this_ world, would you?"

Sirius smiled at James, and Harry could sense the unyielding comradary between them. He was wondering idly what it would be like when Remus was thrown into the mix, when Sirius spoke up.

"Why don't we go and wake up Moony?" he suggested happily, returning to the carefree man Harry had been told of. When Remus had spun tales of the Marauders to the young boy wizard the night before, all he could say of Padfoot was that, _"He was like a big chlid. Always the happy one, always the one to go to when you needed to smile. Unfortunately, he was also the one with the darkest past, and secrets. But he never let that interfere with the way he treated his friends. He had quite the knack for being able to keep the past behind him." _

"Sounds splendid." said James coolly, taking a long sip of coffee from the cup he held in his hands. "And how do you suggest we do that, pray tell?"

Sirius smiled, and smoothed the wrinkles near his eyes. He, like Remus, looked much older than he was. However, _his_ tired eyes and grey-hairs were the unjust results of a life he never should have had to suffer through. "Like we used to." he said simply. This made no sense to Harry, but it must have to James, because he responded to Sirius by saying, "Excellent."

Harry followed the two men eagerly towards the guest bedroom, where Remus's snores could be heard through the walls. James looked to Sirius and nodded. Sirius nodded in return, before focusing for a moment and turning - right before Harry's eyes - into a _dog_.

It was a large, black dog, that Harry could have easily mistaken for some kind of wolf. It shocked Harry to see a man one moment and then a _dog_ the next, and he backed against the wall in a mixture of confusion and frustration. What _was_ Sirius? Not a werewolf, because it wasn't the full moon, but no normal wizard could just turn into an animal...could they?

_Unless Sirius is like...McGonagall? An Animagus? _

Harry didn't have time to ponder his ideas, beacuse James whispered, "Alohamora!" and unlocked the door behind which Remus slept. The moment the door was open, Sirius bolted over the threshold and catapulted himself onto Remus's bed. He sporadically hopped around Remus, jumping on him and tugging at his sheets with his teeth. It didn't take Remus long to wake up and discover that his old friend was attempting to wake him up.

"W-What?" he mumbled sleepily, still in a dream-like state. "Whasshappening?"

"Good morning, Remus!" called James from the hallway. Harry stared at his father in disbelief - this was quite a jump from the loud, hysterical man he'd seen last night. He could finally match the description of Prongs with the description of James, and he wondered if - after some time - the three remaining Marauders would be able to go back to being carefree _all_ the time.

Mid-jump, Sirius turned back into a man and grinned at Remus. He said, "Morning." cheerfully, before Remus seemed to realize what was going on. He, like James and Sirius before him, stared in disbelief at the sight before him as he began to water from the eyes a bit. Harry knew that Remus would not want him to see him behave in such a way, so he respected his privacy and padded back up the staircase to his room. It looked just the same as it had the night before, yet it was so very different - so much had changed in such a short amount of time. Things were really starting to brighten up.

Parents and two uncles. Those were words Harry had only heard of before, when Dudley used them in his every day life. He would talk about _his _parents, and _his _family. Now, Harry felt like the luckiest kid in the world. His parents were back, and since they had their friends, they were happy. So Harry was happy, too. And today, he would spend as much time with his new family as he possibly could.

* * *

It was much later in the morning when Lily finally arose from bed - almost eleven. Her eyes burned from all the crying she'd done the night before, and when she found that James wasn't in bed beside her, her heart sank. She felt horribly sorry for her husband and his friends, and knew that she had to help them in any way she could. She remembered back at Hogwarts, when things had been simple, how much the Marauders had meant to each other. It was hard enough on the three friends that Peter had turned out to be a traitor; she knew deep in her soul that James and Remus would not be able to handle losing Sirius, too.

Lily got up quickly, tying her long hair back so that it was out of her face. She thought that she could make a grand breakfast for everyone - maybe that would help them forget for a little while. She nodded to herself, liking her plan, and tip-toed accross the hallway to Harry's room. She opened his door carefully, wanting to wake him up by hugging him rather than making noise, but was shocked to see that his room was empty. She sighed sadly to herself, upset that her son had woken without her. She closed his door tiredly, and began to make her way to the staircase. She was about halfway down when she began to hear voices conversing from the dining hall a floor below her.

"You've really never heard of us before last night?"

"...but that's enough about us, don't you think?"

"I don't want to talk about me - I want to hear more about you!"

Harry's voice was unmistakable among the deep tones of the older men, and Lily dashed the rest of the way down and through the hallways until she reached her destination. She'd been about to ask her husband what was going on when she was met with a sight she never thought she'd see again; Remus and Sirius were sitting together on one side of the table, and James had his arm around Harry on the other. They were all conversing together, looking as carefree as they had a decade ago. James and Remus were practically glowing with happiness, and Sirius looked as normal as he ever had. Harry was in the midst of everything, his eyes shining as his curiosity was piqued over and over again. They must have been talking about Quidditch, or Hogsmeade, or Hogwarts, or something - something so simple that meant so much.

Lily couldn't find the words to describe the happiness she felt, and her emerald eyes began to fill with tears. She blinked them back furiously, and smiled grandly at the men sitting before her. She was able to say thickly, "W-Would anyone like any breakfast?" before James laughed slightly and stood from his chair. He looked so much like he had when he was a teenager; his hazel eyes sparkled with youth, and she could have sworn his hair even looked a little wind-blown. Everything that she'd once fallen in love with was evident. "Lily," he said quietly, wrapping his strong arms around her tightly. Lily fell into him, feeling loved and protected. "Please don't cry - this is a happy morning, love. Please be happy."

"I am happy." Lily assured him quickly as he released her. She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, turning her attention to everyone in the room rather than just James. She laughed a bit as she said, "I'm _so_ happy."

Sirius smiled at her slightly, the way he used to when he was nineteen. She'd always found Sirius to behave like a brother towards her, and she'd be lying if she said she hadn't missed him. But she had given up hope - she'd thought there would be no going back for him. He stood slowly just as James had, and made his way over to her. In a very platonic way, he hugged her as well, comforting her tears and reassuring her that he was just fine.

"But how did this happen?" Lily asked in disbelief, her mind trying to wrap itself around everything. She turned back to James as she said, "How did you break through to him?"

"He didn't," said Sirius roughly, his eyes flickering over to Harry. "It was Harry."

"Harry?" asked Lily dumbly, as though she'd never heard the name before. The idea that her little baby, her little Harry, had been able to fight through the mad haze of Sirius's delusion was not only astounding, but impossible to conceive. "But - but how would Harry have -?"

"I didn't give up on him, mum." said Harry from his chair, smiling up proudly. "I...well, I woke up when I heard you and dad come in, and I hid behind the clock so you wouldn't see me when you went to bed. I just wanted to make everything right. I _just _got my parents back - I wasn't going to lose them again, no matter what."

Tears welled in the eyes of everyone present, and for a moment, everything was right. The years of pain and loneliness Harry had endured were finally being paid off by love and joy. In the difficult years to come, Harry would remember that morning as one of the happiest in all his life.

* * *

It wasn't until the moon rose that the rat dared to move from the pillow of the young wizard keeper he was bound to. He had been waiting uneasily for hours to hear the unmistakable sound of snores coming from one Ron Weasley, and when they arose, they were grand sounds indeed. Now, Wormtail knew it would be easy as breathing to slip unnoticed into the night.

Wormtail had heard the wizard family whose home he lived in talk about Harry Potter - that Harry thought his parents were back from the dead. Wormtail knew such sorcery was impossible, but he couldn't help but be afraid. It was with that mindset that he had decided his time at the Burrow had to end.

As Wormtail's filthy claws worked at the latch of the lowest floor window, his heart began to pump faster and faster. He could feel all of the years of planning, of waiting, beginning to unravel. He jumped out the window on unsteady paws, landing on his back in the damp evening grass. It wasn't ideal, of course, but it was the only escape he could manage.

* * *

Author's Note: I am so sorry, I know this is late, but my power _just _turned back on today while I was at work. It's been out since Friday at 1AM, therefore making it impossible for me to update. But I'm back now, and I apologize for the short chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it! I'll admit it was a bit of a filler, but the action is soon to arise, thus making it far more interesting. I'd like to quickly send out a huge thank-you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed this tale. The response I have received is unbelievable! You all make my day :) Since I'm in such a rush to get this chapter out, I'm not going to add reviewer responses tonight, but when I upload Chapter 5 I'll add all of Chapter 4's responses to the Chapter 5 responses. I'm sorry once again, but thank you all so much for your kind words! Hope I didn't disappoint :) See ya soon!


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